Only For You
by Renyo
Summary: When Harry moves into the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix during summer, Sirius tells him the secret of the attic located in the forgotten corner of Grimmauld Place. Only when unbound curiosity and vicious nightmares drive him to seek comfort in the mysterious room, does he realize he really should not push his luck. Set after the Tournament. AU, Time travel, slash TMR/HP
1. Chapter 1

Most members of the Order had gone out on the mission. Mrs. Weasley had ordered the children including Harry and Hermione to stay in the Grimmauld Place for the day. They could not go anywhere for fear of Death Eater's attacks. Although the Gryffindors were upset about their limited freedom, they had no choice but to obey.

In the living room, Bill and Charlie sat a sofa discussing the current events on Daily Prophet with Sirius. Fred and George were staying in their room, finalizing their new inventions. The Golden Trio and Ginny were doing their homework, much to Hermione's delight and Ron's detriment. Hermione believed it was a great opportunity to get the two boys to review the materials from last year, so she dragged them to the dining table. Harry appreciated her effort to distract him from thinking about the Tournament and picked up his quill to write his Charms assignment. However, the brief study session soon turned into bickering contest between the bushy haired witch and the loud freckled teen.

"Ron, for the last time I am not going to do the homework for you. I have given you reference pages from my resources, but you don't bother to open your textbook!"

"C'mon, Hermione! All your resources are heavy dusty tomes that are probably forgotten for a good reason. They are boring and the words are too tiny to see."

"I am not helping you if you are only seeking my help out of sheer laziness. Your Animagus form must be a sloth I swear!"

The arguments were giving Harry a headache. His working progress was slightly better than Ron because he wanted to find something focus on other than immersing himself in the horrible memory of Cedric's death. He had become less talkative in the summer. When night fell, nightmares of Voldemort's rebirth drove him to insomnia. Dudley kept taunting Cedric because he heard Harry screaming his name. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were simply passive aggressive in their approach to make his life difficult but at least he could deal with their silence. He knew it wasn't mentally healthy to continue like this, but he couldn't suppress the memories from resurfacing.

Unfortunately for Harry, Ron and Hermione were not aware of his annoyance and kept themselves in their own bubbly world, sort of. On his left, Harry could tell from the black fringe of his hair Ginny was gazing at him and expecting him to whisk her away from the endless boredom. He adored Ginny. He would have tried dating her, but with the five Weasley boys being so overprotective, Harry subconsciously decided to stay clear of her. Besides, he heard from Ron that she had been exchanging letters with Dean for the whole summer. He really didn't want to be intrusive.

Finally getting enough, he stood up and made an excuse of going to washroom, quickly vanishing before anyone could follow. Ron and Hermione were too absorbed in their verbal sparring to notice his disappearance. Maybe he could set them up when he had the right mind to do it.

He went upstairs as quietly as he could. The stairs were not maintained so well over the years and creaked at every step he had yet to take. Small splinters protruded from mahogany banisters. The corridors were dimly lit with fading magical fire. It was a gloomy sight. Sirius had told him he hated the dark atmosphere in this house. Even standing close to the fireplace, he could never get rid of the feeling something sinister was in the corner. The other adults except Moody dismissed him for being paranoid. Mrs. Weasley scolded him for scaring the children even though that only got the twins more excited.

As he wandered up the house, he now stood in front of the entrance to the attic. What did Sirius say about this place? Something about hide and seek.

_Harry sat close to Sirius, listening to his childhood story._

_"There are few good memories in my childhood, Harry. However, I can recall one time where the hag of my mother did not curse me for messing around the house. I was very young, playing hide and seek with her. One-sided, of course, she would never approve of anything fun let alone participating in one. She was pissed off that I did not behave properly at the Yule Ball as a pureblood heir should. Afraid of her punishment, I ran up to the attic and stayed there, and I witnessed something incredible."_

_"What is it?"_

_"Seulement pour vous, a small rumour that runs in my family," said Sirius with a tired smile._

_"Huh?"_

_"At first, I thought I was on the other side of my home. There was a woman, an exact replica of my mother. She smiled and welcomed me with open arms. I was suspicious. At Grimmauld Place, nothing good ever happens. The woman saw I didn't trust her. She wandlessly summoned a tea table for two and asked me to join her. I turned around to leave but couldn't find the door. Staring at the lady, I decided I was probably dreaming and would wake up later. With nothing else to do, I sat with her. She asked me what I wanted to do._

_Back then, I wanted the unconditional love from my mother, so I asked her to play with me. She agreed without a second thought. In front of me, a beautiful garden appeared. We got ourselves dirty and messy. We had a round of broom race and flew in a speed that should have me grounded for a month. She taught me a few spells that later inspired me to become pranksters. I knew she wasn't my mother, but I feel drawn to her warm embrace and genuine laughs. She did not yell or curse me for being unruly. Kreacher was not there to carry out my real mother's punishment. But good things never lasted long. In the end, I had to go away. She kissed me goodbye and wished my luck back in my reality."_

_"That sounds like the Mirror of Erised, only that it's real for some time."_

_"Indeed, afterwards I secretly asked my uncle Alphard about this place. He said one of my more sane ancestors created the room so his nephew could take refuge during the mourning period of someone close to him. It's charmed to let you experience what you most need there, but the wonder only lasts for a while depending on the size of your magical core. There are limitations as well. For instance, you can't revive people who passed away, or my ancestor would have made his nephew go estranged. Furthermore, this world would only appear once for the rightful time."_

_Harry was disappointed when Sirius pointed out the shortcomings. Still, the room sounded amazing. Sensing Harry's growing interest, Sirius continued,_

_"Uncle Alphard also told me the setting of the room is rumoured to be different for each person. While they may only lose a few hours in the reality, the time they spend in the room ranges from days to years. Sometimes, it can act as a portal for powerful wizards and witches whose desire cannot be easily satisfied. The room_ _will send them to Somewhere Else. He didn't know what it means, only that the setting lasts longer than others. Deep inside my mind, I knew why my setting didn't activate the portal. At the tender age of six, I already knew my mother would never love me, and I do not have the power to change that."_

_Sirius' eyes turned hollow and cast down to the carpet. The room fell into uncomfortable silence, but Sirius hadn't finished the story yet. Harry spoke to stop Sirius from watching the carpet like it was the most fascinating thing in the room,_

_"You said your mother didn't punish you, are you referring to the woman in the-"_

_"No, not the kind lady. When I left the place, I found myself lying on the dirty floor of attic. Kreacher immediately appeared and brought me to my mother. I thought my punishment finally came. I was surprised to see my mother just standing there. She asked me where I have been for the past eight hours. Lying wouldn't get me anywhere, so I gave a short explanation of my adventure in the attic. Her eyes widened at my answer. Then, she left. Something akin to nostalgia shone in her eyes, but I was too relieved for myself to bother asking why. She didn't even school her expression back to the usual scowling for the whole day now I think about it… I wonder if she had visited that place as a child."_

_Sirius paused to turn his head in the direction of his mother's portrait and ended the story._

_"Next day, I visited the attic. It was just a storage room full of dark artifacts."_

Harry started to hesitate. What if he was trapped? Sure, people downstairs would be alerted of his disappearance, but would they manage to find him on time? Then again, there was a big chance he would probably end up disappointed at the inertness of the attic. Besides if the attic didn't do harm to Sirius in the long run, surely it wouldn't hurt him to enter? Perhaps the room would alleviate his foul mood. Marching with his Gryffindor bravery, he unlocked the door and peaked into the darkness. The murky windows didn't help lighting up the whole floor, but as far as Harry could see, there was no friendly Mrs. Black in sight. Sirius did say the room could change into something different for him. However, nothing unusual appeared to give him any reason for staying. Silently, Harry closed the door and went downstairs to help Mrs. Weasley preparing for dinner.

* * *

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

As the curse shot right through Cedric's body, survival instinct kicked in and Harry promptly startled from his dream. Although Ron was snoring right next to him, he could hear his heart pulsing and throbbing. His pajamas were entirely soaked. Teardrops dripping and merging with sweat beads on his palms, he wiped the wetness all on the sheets and changed into a set of dry sweater and jeans.

He needed to do something; any distraction would do. _A walk in the house, maybe?_ _Not without my wand and cloak, though, constant vigilance and all that,_ he recalled the real Moody' catchphrase. You could never be too careful, after all. Given his personal history, who knew what would befall him even in this strongly warded location? He put on his Invisibility Cloak and stealthily got out of the room.

He paused as Sirius and Remus were descending to the ground floor. Right now, they could do without worrying over Harry. His two father figures would definitely ask how the nightmares were affecting him even though they had enough on their plate. That said, he quickly detoured and went upstairs to check out the attic again. Harry thought,_ maybe something will turn out at midnight; Hermione did say midnight holds a potent magical property that enables transition, or is it transformation?_

The ascension didn't take much time; Harry stood at the door to the attic once again. This time, he didn't hesitate to run into the attic. Yet as he began traversing into the night shrouded place, he fell into a bottomless pit of darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry kept falling and tumbling in an invisible spiralling stream. His stomach lurched as he constantly bumped into a constant horizontal force. It was worse than using a portkey or the Floo network. If this torture were not ending anytime soon, there would be more damage done to him than just losing appetite for a day. However, the descent into somewhere unknown did remind him of Alice in Wonderland.

Once, Harry hid behind the wall of Dursley's living room to watch Alice in Wonderland; Dudley wasn't too fond of the Disney movie because it didn't have explosions and epic fights, saying it was too 'girly.' Ignoring Dudley's temper tantrum in the background, his eyes were glued to the television for the whole duration of movie. He saw how Alice fell into the rabbit hole and her blue dress helped her float in the air even though gravity was supposed to pull her down. Maybe that was how Wonderland functioned, however Harry couldn't stop thinking about the fictional dimension in children's tale. You see, he was jealous of Alice's smooth journey to her unknown destination.

_What I wouldn't do for that dress if only to lessen the pain in this bumpy trip_, Harry silently grumbled at his predicament. He was not a cross-dresser, but all magical transportation means he had encountered had a thing against him somehow. Anything to improve his traveling experience was highly welcome, thank you very much. He wished he had his Firebolt with him. The air current might be unpredictable, but at least he could adjust his direction to decrease the number of head on collisions with the transparent barrier.

His body started accelerating forward as he saw a small light circle opening up ahead. This was it. His journey through the space had come to an end, but what lay beyond the hole was a complete mystery. Harry embraced the impeding impact and closed his eyes as light swallowed him.

In Harry's original world, a Dark Lord found something vital missing in his connection with the Boy-Who-Lived.

* * *

_Midnight, suburb area near London_

Good Harry had let her go explore after being cooped up in the fat whale's nest for who knew how long. Hedwig had been very productive lately and ready to show off her superior hunting skills when Harry needed her again. He would be so proud, she was sure of it.

Ever since she regained her freedom, she had been practicing how to wound a rat without killing it, remembering how last year her Harry had lamented about a certain treacherous rodent called Peter. She knew she was a good owl─ no, the only good owl for her wayward companion. No one should dare harm her Harry in any way. She would claw their enemies' eyes out for Harry even if he disapproved.

Just as she swooped down to practice on another rat, her instinct told her that Harry was in trouble again. She huffed and rolled her eyes. Spending so much time with Harry and two other humans had rubbed off on her. Heading towards London, she soared into the sky and glided towards Harry's location.

For ten minutes, Hedwig flew to Harry's new nest and spent some time uncovering loopholes in the multilayers of wards around it. Eventually, her beak bit off the rusty lock on the panel window and she got into the house. Wards were useless when Hedwig was determined to get Harry out of the claws of bad men. Supposedly, the other humans were delegated to protect him, but obviously they were not doing a good job.

_Humans are stupid. They don't even realize Harry is gone. It's left to me to rescue Harry now_, Hedwig thought as she flew past the dog-man and the wolf having a heartfelt discussion by the unlit fireplace.

She could feel something stirring at the top of the dark nest. Quickly changing her route, Hedwig flew past an ever-changing she-human and caused her to stumble and fall on her knees.

"What the- stupid owl," Tonks whined, pulling her night robes aside slightly to see if there were any bruises forming.

As Hedwig arrived on the top floor, a shimmering wormhole was circling at a door. Her eyes glared at the small dot shrinking inside the hole and realized what the small dot was. It was Harry! Did he think that entering into a random room that appeared out of nowhere was a safe and sound idea? Of course he did; her human never learned to keep his curiosity in check. Hedwig did an equivalent of a human sigh and prepared herself for another flight. Flapping her wings, she set off at once.

When she returned with her Harry, she was going to demand lots of new owl treats for the trouble.

* * *

**Thump**!

His left shoulder blade made first contact with floor. His back landed squarely on the ground next. Hid body hurt everywhere, but he had to bear with it for now. His glasses and cloak were still intact despite the chaotic turn of events. Glancing around his surroundings, he noticed that he was in a corridor. Harry could see the sun was set above the sky, allowing summer light to flow between the magnificent pillars. The shade formed a beautiful, geometric pattern that he wouldn't have noticed when the student body bustled in and out. A breeze gently brushed past his cheeks and carried on. The school had a lovely view when it was very quiet. Upon closer inspection of his surroundings, Harry found the way to his right led to the entrance to Great Hall.

_Wait, why am I at Hogwarts?_ As much as he loved to be back at his first home, this was not what Harry expected from the attic.

_'__Sometimes, it can act as a portal for powerful wizards and witches whose desire cannot be easily satisfied.'__, he remembered._

_So I have activated the portal, but what's the point of coming here? If I were any normal teenager, I would probably mourn for losing one week of summer, _Harry pondered over the purpose of this journey, unaware of the presence behind himself.

"Please, young sir. Excuse Missi for being rude. I must take you straight to Headmaster Dippet's office. Missi really is sorry… ," a house elf popped in. Harry noticed Missi didn't address Dumbledore as headmaster, and the name Dippet did sound quite familiar. Could he possibly be…

_Oh shit, does that mean I've somehow travelled back…?_

When the epiphany dawned on him, Missi stunned him and grabbed his immobile body, dragging him to where Headmaster and Dumbledore were standing.

"Well, I was not suspecting a student so eager to come back. Magic knows how many of them just can't get enough of summer, but I am fairly certain I have never seen this young man before. What says you, Albus? Do you think he may be a spy?"

"I cannot be sure, Armando. I doubt Grindelwald would send someone so young and reckless into Britain. However, the possibility cannot be excluded. Several alarms detected a tremendous wave of magic originating from Great Hall. One of the old house elves said the energy quickly dissipated when he went to investigate. Only this boy was lying at the spot. We do not have any clue as to the cause of outburst, which means only this young boy can answer us, " said Dumbledore. Dippet nodded at his colleague and gave him permission to wake Harry. Dumbledore gracefully raised his wand and cast the counter spell.

"Ugh," Harry groaned rubbing his the back of head.

Then, Dumbledore calmly recited two spells without a pause, "Incarcerous, Expelliarmus."

Shocked, Harry tried to wriggle into a more comfortable position. He looked up and found his future professor towering over him. This Dumbledore looked about middle aged. His hair and beard were tinted with brownish red. Instead of the usual grandfatherly kindness, younger Dumbledore emitted a formidable aura. Harry frowned at the stern face directed towards him. Unlike his future mentor, this Dumbledore was suspicious of his identity and less likely to be nice to him.

"I am Armando Dippet, Headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Standing beside me is Albus Dumbledore, a professor of Hogwarts. Forgive us for the callous treatment, but we have to be on constant vigilance especially in dangerous times," said the older man. "I assure you this will be soon over. All you need to do is to speak truth."

Dumbledore took out a small vial of potion from the pocket of his robe. Not knowing what the potion would do, Harry started panicking.

"What will that potion do to me?" Harry asked.

"Do not worry. It's just Veritaserum- or truth serum. I will just give you a dose of this and ask you some questions. There is no side effect even though it doesn't taste good either. We promise we would only ask what is necessary," Dumbledore soothed Harry with a calming tone. Harry, feeling more confident, downed the potion in one go and let it worm its way to his mind. Just as expected, the potion was awful.

"What is your name?"

"Harry James Potter."

"What is your purpose coming to Hogwarts?"

"I didn't even know I would be here, sirs."

The inability to speak out of his own volition made Harry sick. He hated being forced to respond more than he wanted, just like his experience with Imperio cast by Barty Crouch Jr. Though he would never admit it, he had to thank the Death Eater for teaching him that particular Unforgivable. If Veritaserum were any similar to Imperio, then it should be possible to minimize the effect by resisting the force.

"Then, Harry, answer this. Do you come to Magical Britain under the order of Gellert Grindelwald or his regime?" At this question, both old men scrutinized at him for a sign of his allegiance.

"I do not belong to Grindelwald's force or any dark wizard for that matter. To be honest, professors, I didn't even know why I would end up here. I couldn't fall asleep so I went to the attic of my godfather's house. Somehow the attic just transported me here," said Harry relieved to see both professors had let down their guard. It was difficult to overcome the force in his head, but he was glad to see the result. Although many details were omitted in his statement, it was impeccably true no one would question his credibility.

"Well, it's a relief to know I won't need to contact the Aurors. A magical accident like this is quite uncommon, but not unheard of," Dippet eased, returning to his mild stature. Dumbledore gave Harry the counter potion and helped him stand up.

Finally released from the interrogation, Harry wobbled, but took the opportunity to ask, "May I ask, sir, what year am I in?"

Dumbledore blinked owlishly at his question. As for Dippet, his mouth formed a large circle but he indulged Harry's curiosity anyway.

"If you must know, child, it is 1942. The school will start in two days. Hmm. Should I lead you to the Hospital Wing, Harry? You look like you could do with some rest. Ms. Pomfrey is our new nurse of Hogwarts, but she will properly take care of you. Yes, a check-up shouldn't take too long. In fact, it is common occurrence that a victim of magical accidents can suffer temporary amnesia about certain facts," Armando emphasized the last sentence, which annoyed Harry immensely. His escapade into past did not damage his lucidity at all. Losing his temper would not help him though, so Harry kept his suave comeback to himself.

"No, I mean, thanks. Uh, I will go to Hospital Wing later."

_Oh, this is going to be more awkward than I had imagined._

"Professors, I apologize for occupying your precious time, especially when the school is back in full swing. However, would you mind indulging me a bit more before you consider sending me to Hospital Wing? My unexpected entrance to Hogwarts is not just a regular 'magical accident', per say. I know this may come out as ridiculous, and I have no better way to put this. I am from future, 1995 to be precise," Harry said, holding his breath to gauge at reactions of the two men. Dippet was gaping at him, but Dumbledore had a warm smile plastered on his face.

"For you to travel through time, Harry, it was a significant achievement. Would you tell me exactly how you get into the attic of your godfather's house? Is there anything you know that we are not aware of?" Dumbledore asked with concern. Harry supposed he was getting into his professor's good graces. Being a penniless time traveler stranded in a wartime period might have rendered him more noteworthy. Perhaps, he could subtly offer information to assist them.

Yet, Harry felt disappointed to only have Dumbledore's support after he revealed his true identity. Doubt was planted, and Harry wondered if the future Dumbledore ever changed from his young counterpart. Nevertheless, people were desperate in perilous time, so this younger Dumbledore, though powerful, was only doing what was best for the greater good.

From that point on, Harry succinctly explained the mechanisms of the attic. Dumbledore and Dippet listened with rapt attention and occasionally threw in one question. In the end, they decided to enroll Harry into the school, at the last minute. It was expected that Harry would be able to go home whenever he obtained 'what he most needed' here. There was no foreseeable harm coming to Hogwarts after all. Dippet was very courteous to offer Harry the required textbooks and other miscellaneous necessities. Dumbledore would give Harry a monthly allowance to make sure he could afford a few snacks in Hogsmeade.

"For the time being, you will live in the provided quarters until you are sorted at the Opening Feast with the first year and some other foreign students. Then, you will get to know your housemates. Ah, friendship does bring wonders to everyone who once attended this school. That reminds me, which house did you say you are in the future, Harry? I don't think I caught it," asked Dumbledore.

"Gryffindor, sir. To be honest, professor Dumbledore, I thought I didn't need a re-sorting. I have been a Gryffindor for four years and still counting," said Harry puzzled by this conversation.

Dumbledore continued, "Ah, but we must adhere to traditions, Harry. Besides, people can change, so will their desires and needs. A re-sorting may help you in your quest as well. Don't worry, wherever you go, you shall get along with your housemates just fine, even the Slytherins. I am the Head of Gryffindor House; if there is anything you need, just come to my office. I will be more than happy to help."

With that, Dumbledore summoned Missi to lead Harry to his living quarters and left to deal with the enrollment paperwork. To put it mildly, Harry was dumbfounded at the bomb Dumbledore had just dropped.

_Merlin help me, the bloody Sorting Hat almost sorted me into Slytherin in my first year. Who's to say it won't do it this time. I won't last a day in Slytherin House, especially when Voldemort is still a student here! Whether I like it or not, a transfer student is rare here and I am bound to be noticed._

Realization struck. Dumbledore was right. If he could get close to Voldemort and learn his weaknesses, he could have a better chance of defeating him. Even if that failed, studying your enemy always helped. Everything was falling into place. Perhaps, what he most needed was to find a way to destroy Voldemort.

Harry really appreciated what the attic had brought to him. Just like Sirius did. He caressed his cloak one last time and folded it into his new trunk. Forgetting his appointment with the nurse, he sank into the four poster bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_Beta by the lovely YumeNoTsuzuki. _

* * *

_The body was leaning still and cold against a weatherworn gravestone. Lips once red and full turned grey like the forgotten ashes in an unused fireplace. Even though he was dead, you could still feel his murky, lifeless eyes on you. Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Head Boy, great Seeker, supposedly Champion of Hogwarts, whatever he was called. You had both reached the ultimate destination of the Tournament._

_Yes, you remember it all now. You had suggested that the two of you should grab the Cup at the same time, so you could both win fair and square, for Hogwarts. But was it really "fair and square"? In the end, you only brought destruction and death upon him. Was it **fair** to drag him into your bizarrely violent life when evil was after you again? Was it** just** for him to die so you could live? Voldemort reborn, at the height of his power, was right there; his sole attention on you. Cedric didn't matter, but he was an obstacle nonetheless. Voldemort didn't even bat his non-existent eyelashes when he cast the Killing Curse at the brown-haired boy._

_He once had a bright future ahead of him. A proud father was waiting for him to come back – victorious and proud, hailed as a hero. He was still waiting there, at school. Did he have a dream career he had wanted to pursue? At the Ministry, maybe? Perhaps, he had wanted to marry his girlfriend sometime in the future. They could have been so happy together. Of course there were countless more things he had wanted to do, but he would never get to experience any of them because of you._

_It's all your fault._

_Denial is not an option; you literally led him to an inevitable death. The mortality rate of the Triwizard Tournament might have been conspicuously high, but past records probably did not account for murder by a powerful Dark Lord. Until now, that is. How come trying to save someone must lead to two months of overwhelming guilt and never ending nightmares?_

_Why bother with Gryffindor honor to share eternal glory with him when there is a death trap ahead?_

_The graveyard melted away as Harry's fear manifested further. The supposedly dead champion was now lying on the ground of Hogwarts and hissed at Harry. Grey eyes blazed with vehement sorrow and hatred, the same emotions he saw when the elder Diggory found his son's body. No one save himself saw Cedric's lively, horrid expression. The father bent his wobbling knees and looked desperately for any sign of life. The formerly cheerful crowd ceased to holler and clap and waited in tense silence to see what happened. Not able to bear the atmosphere, he walked to Dumbledore, whispering the worse news that could doom the magical world - Voldemort's return. Dumbledore nodded and accepted his words at face value. Moody led him back to the castle. However, Harry didn't expect him to be a fake. Apparently, the impersonator was the son of Bartemius Crouch, Barty Crouch Jr., a loyal servant of Voldemort, who Harry had been seeing in his dreams all summer. His entry into the Triwizard Tournament had all been orchestrated by Barty._

Then he woke up with a start. His ribs hurt from breathing in the cold air. As he surveyed around the richly decorated room, he was being suffocated by his solitude and feelings. Reaching for his holly wand on the side table, he spelled himself clean from the sweat and tears although he still felt dirty inside his mind. Not willing to dwell on his grim memories any further, he rose from the cotton-threaded four poster bed and cast a tempus. _4:35 a.m… Three hours away from  
breakfast hour._

Falling asleep was not possible anymore, so Harry decided to hit the library and grabbed a few books on powerful jinxes and curses. A simple disarming charm was not going to do the same trick twice in a duel. Luck might have saved him from occasions, but it did not guarantee the safety and happiness of other people. It was a hard lesson learned too late in his opinion.

* * *

_At the Welcoming Feast_

Harry overlooked the Gryffindor table. The sitting plan was mixed up and he could see many older students were hanging out with younger ones. He would have joined the red and golden crowd in a heartbeat were the situation not so dire. However, none of the lions looked even remotely familiar. No red hair popping up in his line of view, Harry was disappointed to note and uncertainly shifted his eyes away, towards Slytherin's table.

In comparison to Gryffindor's rambunctious house spirit, Slytherins were very refined and orderly. The noise was kept to minimum. They would chat among themselves quietly and only occasionally cast one or two disdainful glances at the lions without being detected. Not that any of the Gryffindors would ever notice. They were too busy catching up with others and gossiping about trivial matters such as who broke up with whom during the summer break.

Near the end of the Slytherin table, Harry found the handsome Tom Riddle sitting with his goons. A platinum blond haired boy with recognizably pale grey eyes was on his right side. Trust Malfoy's grandfather to be a lapdog of Voldemort's. Six other boys were flanked around them and sending high praises, except Tom Riddle did not care for such trivialities.

A few seats away from the future Death Eaters, a young Walburga Black was having a conversation with an average-looking girl with a hooked nose. If her face wasn't distorted with rage, Walburga wouldn't look very intimidating, unlike how she was pictured in the portrait at Grimmauld Place. Yet, if Sirius' words were anything to go by, she was probably already the same as the opinionated, unpleasant hag who screamed colourful profanities rivaled only by Sirius' repertoire of insults.

The Sorting Ceremony soon began. Dumbledore was holding the Sorting Hat in his left hand and a scroll in his right. The first years were going first. The old professor raised the parchment to eye level and read the first name off the list loud and clear.

"Black, Alphard!"

_Alphard? Wasn't he Sirius' __favourite __uncle mentioned in his childhood story?_

To say he was happy would be an understatement. He was ecstatic to see a vaguely familiar figure in a sea of strangers. Alphard held a good-humored demeanor similar to Sirius', though more restrained. His semi-long hair was flowing freely as he walked towards the stool at the top of the steps. The young boy was sporting a childish grin. Looking back to the Slytherin table, Harry could see Walburga gritting her teeth and mumbling something along the lines of inappropriate behaviour. If the young version of Walburga detested her younger brother so much for being an improper pureblood, then Harry was definitely going to become acquainted with this Alphard.

Harry stood among the foreign students, bored and impatient. Back in first year, he was so excited and eager to be a part of this magical world. Ron had told him all the bad wizards and witches went to Slytherin. Initially, he thought it was just his best friend's prejudice speaking, but Malfoy's existence didn't help to support his counter argument. In the end, he opted to go for Gryffindor when Ron also mentioned that Voldemort once belonged to the House of Snake. He almost got into the house of Slytherin if not for his own persistent plea. Harry wondered: if he was supposed to be a Slytherin in his first year, surely the house was not as bad as it rumoured to be? Or was it?

Finally, the first years were all sorted. Professor Dumbledore picked up another scroll and announced the first foreign student on the list.

"Almstedt, Inge."

"Slytherin!"

"Brahms, Jo."

"Gryffindor!"

"Durándi, Aurél!"

"Slytherin!"

"Hozumi, Shun!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Jedynak, Otylia"

"Ravenclaw!"

The Hat didn't take long to figure out each one of them. Harry wondered where he actually belonged. Would the Hat still want to sort him into Slytherin, or had he become the epitome of a proud and brave Gryffindor? The animated hat had once informed him that he could be both. Yet, could he suppress his fiery temper among those expressionless snakes while keeping up with their intricate politics?

"Potter, Harry!"

It was his turn now. Some names before P were lost to him as he was having his whole attention devoted to his surroundings. Unlike in the 90's, people didn't know who he was. Here, Harry Potter was not a spectacle to be gawked at. _Just Harry_. The absence of peering eyes was a refreshing start for his fifth year.

The indifferent stream of students parted to let him through, and he calmly paced towards the platform and nodded at his future headmaster. As Professor Dumbledore put the Sorting Hat on Harry's head, he could feel as if the whole world had suddenly ceased to move. Confusion washing over him, he stared at every table in front of him to check if he was going insane. Yet, he was right. No one was moving an inch from their spot. Fire torches were brightening the Great Hall but not dancing. Dumbledore was looking at him, but not looking at the same time. Then, the Hat talked.

"Hmmm, I have sorted you before, but why is that? Ah, the time traveler from the future. It's been – what was it – three centuries since the last one who attempted to get himself resorted. It wasn't successful. He still got into the same house as before, or rather, after," the wrinkled hat seemed to smirk with tiny amusement.

"What? Home come you know who I am? You're in the past, um, in my perspective anyway!" said Harry.

"My ability comes from being a Sorting Hat. That's all I'm going to tell you. The more important question you can ask is: who am I? I have been asking myself the same question since Rowena created me. Am I a clever, sentient hat that Time could not touch? Or, ironically speaking, could I be a timeless being trapped in a decaying piece of cloth? Alas, it's been a thousand years with no obvious answers to my questionable identity. It's not important to you although you may want to hear me out about your little dimension escapade," the Hat cleared his throat, assuming a talking hat had one to begin with.

"I'm acting as your Guide in your endeavor of finding your heart's desired and needed," the Hat pronounced with pride.

Puzzled, Harry responded, "Your sentiment is appreciated, but I'm fairly certain finding Voldemort's weakness counts as my first and foremost desired result of this little time traveling trip. Thank you very much." _Maybe I can destroy his diary so Ginny would be safe from any traumatic experiences._

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat straightened its form and started screeching in an eerily annoyed voice.

"Whoever goes through the journey will be delegated with a Guide. Your godfather told you about his visit, did he not? He had the other Guide who looked like his mother. All visitors will be accompanied by a Guide because they do not know what they actually want, or are simply too afraid to admit it. By the way, it's necessary for you to have me as your Guide, you ungrateful brat. Without me, you won't be able to return to your own timeline even if you accomplished your goal. I will have to send you back when the time comes. In the meantime, you shall fumble around and make plenty of stupid mistakes without any divine assistance – namely, me – to back you up! At this moment, I am getting very inclined to leave you to your own devices," the Hat huffed in indignation.

Harry winced at the Hat's harsh tone. He really should watch his tongue when the Hat was only trying to help him.

Excluding the Dursleys, many Muggle adults had ignored his pleas for help and bashed him for insolence before. Eventually, he learned that everyone would just turn a blind eye, so he moved on. However, magic changed everything for him. For years, he had kept himself quiet and independent. Even when someone asked about his wellbeing, he would just throw out some excuses. All of them would believe every derogatory comment towards him from his relatives anyway.

When Vernon tried to keep the Hogwarts acceptance letters from Harry, Hagrid broke into the stinky hut on a desolate island and rescued him (temporarily) from the vicious cycle of neglect and beating. It was a big milestone in Harry's life. Although there was no kind distant relative to keep him from the Dursleys, he could at least stay away from them for eight months per year. And magic. Something his "family" had always condemned in their 'perfectly normal' household. It was real, and he had the power to make better of himself despite the hurt he suffered in his miserable childhood.

_What if I couldn't go back? It sucks that a premature Dark Lord is here doing his evil shenanigans already. He can't possibly ditch me here right?_

"Oh shush, I'll be watching over you to make sure you're in one piece when you go back. Not that you will ever die, but I do have a conscience."

Relief washed over the nervous fifteen-year-old. Rolling his eyes, he replied, "Nice to know someone cares." It was harsher than he had intended. Nonetheless, the Hat-Guide understood his message and didn't take offense at it.

The Hat carried on, "We can have another meeting later about your return trip ticket. Now, let's talk about what you want. I noticed you said defeating Voldemort is your top priority. You have a brave heart, I will give you that. However, your heroic conquest is not important compared to your own happiness. The focus of your quest is for you only. _Seulement Pour Vous,__ or Only For You in English. _Besides, you have many ways to vanquish the murderer of your parents; many alternate universes prove just that."

"What –."

"Your desire to defeat the man is something the Wizarding World back in your own time imposes upon you. Fate seems to have a hand in this as well, but we're not getting into that. Boy-Who-Lived? You weren't even aware of this silly title or the magical world before the age of eleven. Think, Harry, think. You may have developed different ideals and stomached the most dangerous tasks thrown your way, but there is one thing you've always wanted. Your true desire has always resided within you. You know it, and you still want it despite putting others' needs before your own," said the Hat softly into his ears as each word painfully pierced the veil that separated Harry's naïve ideals from his hardened heart.

He was determined to hide his scars – on his body and his heart – for the rest of his life. No one would want to see them. Not even his friends. He feared opening up too much to them; it would only make them feel pity and think him weak. Thanks to basic healing magic and Dudley's old baggy clothes, he could easily conceal the blemishes and the scars. He loved his two best friends and the Weasley family. Also, Sirius had promised he would take him and Remus in once his name was cleared. As if the dog animagus was a mature, responsible adult. Still, it was a hopeful ideal he could cling to.

He missed his parents, but the Mirror of Desired taught him it was impossible to ever have them back. It was a sheer miracle he got to see them in the duel with Voldemort at the graveyard in Little Hangleton. As to why they appeared, he really didn't give a damn. It was good enough to know both his parents loved him very, very much.

Yet it was not enough.

He was not alone, so why did he still feel that something was amiss?

"Good, you're getting somewhere. You can keep thinking about this in private for the following weeks. We don't have much time left," the Hat interrupted his morbid thoughts. "So here comes the fun. Last time I didn't convince you to join the Slytherins. What a pity. You would have evaded a lot of troubles if you had just followed my suggestion. Do you still want to be a Gryffindor? They are fierce and bold, but they may not take kindly towards your unusual talents," the Hat whispered his warnings.

The Parseltongue incident was unforgettable. The whole school literally turned his back on him like he was going Dark. They gaped at him openly, like he was a freak and gossiped relentlessly behind his back. The professors might have been more reserved, however they were wary of his ability too. Surprisingly, Slytherins did not have a smearing campaign against him. They merely guarded him with mild suspicion; but otherwise they never openly insulted or attacked him. It was the first taste of hostility since his debut in magical world. With Hermione's and Ron's loyalty though, things weren't as extremely overbearing as last year.

Ron had been jealous from time to time, but Harry would never have anticipated a backstabbing action from his best mate. It hurt to know your friend would walk away from you because he thought you were a glory hound, or as Seamus eloquently put it, an attention whore. Bless Hermione for her ironclad rationality. She was the only sane person to support him throughout the trials. How Ron couldn't see his lack of interest in glory was beyond him. The hot-headed ginger apologized later, and he was forgiven. They were on good terms now, yet Harry had a feeling Ron's jealousy might cloud his reason again.

If he was placed in Slytherin this time, would the Slytherins be any different? With Voldemort in charge, he would most likely be interrogated and forced into submission. Dark Lords do not share power. At the age of sixteen, Voldemort was already occupying the top spot of the house hierarchy. Luck would not get him anywhere. It would be a battle of wit and will: No Hermione to brainstorm brilliant plans, no Ron to stand beside him. He was marching into danger on his own this time. His mind was in turmoil, but his gut feeling was telling him the same thing as Professor Dumbledore said on his arrival in this era.

_Slytherin it is_.

"I'm where I'm meant to be," Harry muttered under his breath, pursed lips shivering while his clammy palms were nervously clutching his robes. It was going to be a long, long year.

"Ha, ha, I knew you would turn around one day, Mr. Potter. I guarantee you: Slytherin will lead you to greatness beyond your imagination. You will find great friends amongst the most cunning and ambitious. I may have emphasized that defeating that dark wizard is not necessarily your goal in your journey, Mr. Potter, but that does not mean he is not connected to your search of happiness. In fact, he is the key that will unlock your destiny. Don't pout, you should never doubt the Sorting Hat," the Hat giddily assured him and paused to see how irritated the time-traveling teen was.

Harry glared up at the brim of the Hat. Unlocking his destiny? It was cheesy on top of horrible. The implication of friendship with Voldemort caused butterflies to buzz furiously in his stomach. Why did Voldemort always find a way to butt into his life?

"All the best of luck to you, Mr. Potter. Don't forget to visit me when you are available, and you shall be in…SLYTHERIN!"

And life returned to Hogwarts as the Hat announced Harry's fated house.

* * *

_A/N: I hate Fanfiction posting system. Why do I have to add line breaks myself when I already did it on my word file? More reason to opt for AO3 I guess._

_Hozumi means August 1st in Japanese; this is my only handpicked name in the chapter. The other European names are from a random name generator._


	4. Chapter 4

Only For You Chapter 4

Beta'd by YumeNoTsuzuki

* * *

"A Potter in Slytherin?!" "Maybe he is not from _the_ House of Potter." "Probably a muggleborn sharing the same last name…" "Nah, he can't be a mudblood. Look at his hair! Must be from a side branch of the family or something…"

Some students exchanged quiet whispers, others were not so subtle. Eyes followed his every step but Harry took it in stride and made a bee line for the Slytherin dining table.

_The Sorting Hat had better be right about making great friends_, thought Harry as he sat next to Alphard Black and the rest of first years as well as Durmstrang students. The Durmstrang students here sought refuge from the war in the European Continent. Until the war was over, they would have to stay at Hogwarts indefinitely. From his observation before the Sorting began, many foreign students did not feel comfortable staying somewhere away from their home. He could relate to their homesickness, but on a rather larger scale.

Craning his neck slightly to the right, he watched Tom Riddle's every move. The other Slytherin met his eyes, and he was inevitably trapped in an intense staring contest. Time was stalled as he felt Riddle's stare piercing his soul like the fangs of a venomous snake breaking into the flesh of its prey. However, the other Slytherin seemed to lose interest as he saw nothing out of the ordinary in the bespectacled boy. Harry was released from the scrutiny, but this temporary attention from his enemy-to-be left him feeling uneasy and violated.

He could barely see the infamous crowd of Death Eaters from his point of view, but it was not a problem. Knowing next to nothing about this era placed him in a disadvantageous position. Thus, he was not ready to confront them. Also, to be honest with himself, he had lost appetite from just sitting in close vicinity of them.

"Hi, I'm Alphard."

He was watching the sorting, but a childish voice rang in his ears. Turning swiftly, he saw Sirius' future uncle extend his chubby hand to him. Harry blinked at the young boy, surprised by his friendly demeanor.

Alphard spoke first, "You seem less uptight than the rest of the Slytherins I know. I didn't know there would be a Potter coming to Hogwarts this year. You look too old to be a first year, though."

"I have been homeschooled since I was 11. However, with the war raging on, my guardian decided to send me to Hogwarts," Harry responded promptly.

This background story was fabricated by him and Professor Dumbledore to curb people's curiosity. His future Headmaster gave him an outline to begin with and asked him to fill in the details himself. The old professor also warned him about other people taking advantage of his knowledge of future events.

_Somehow, I think he was specifically referring to a certain group of Slytherins, or at least the young Dark Lord. Not that he is wrong about Voldemort, but to be fair I think anyone would want to know what will happen in the future._

Alphard tilted his head and pondered, "I suppose you're probably from a side branch of the family then. Merlin, I have so many cousins coming from other pureblood families, and sometimes I just lose track of them. Do you play Quidditch? My brother Cygnus is six years older than me, and he is the Captain of the Slytherin house team. His obsession with Quidditch is probably the only thing that keeps him from being the most annoying sibling of the whole universe. My sister Walburga is the champion for that by the way. She has been winning this achievement every year."

Harry was suppressing a grin. The kid was really chatty but tolerable at least.

"I am a Seeker, but that position is probably filled by someone else," he answered back.

_I couldn't imagine playing for Slytherin, but it sounds as absurd as giving up Quidditch too…_

Alphard continued chatting to him eagerly, "I think you may get a chance this year. According to my brother, the Keeper and the Beater have graduated, and the current Seeker is considering switching positions. You should definitely go to the tryouts!"

"Si, Yi-Liang. Slytherin!"

Harry returned his glance to the Sorting. Merlin knew how many people he had missed while talking to Alphard. A pale Asian girl with long black hair gracefully rose from the stool. Her walking posture was straight and firm. Harry also noticed one odd thing. The girl's torso did not move an inch even when she was walking. How did she do that? Now that he thought about it, Durmstrang students like Viktor gave him an impression that they were trained in a military school.

"May I sit next to you?"

Surprisingly, the girl had no foreign accent like Viktor did.

"Oh, go ahead," Harry shuffled closer to Alphard and told him to do the same as well. He didn't raise any question as to why the girl chose to sit next to him, when there were plenty of seats left on the other side of the table, because he was dying for something to eat.

* * *

"Wait, you mean you're from _the_ Imperium of China?!" The young Black almost exclaimed, dropping his utensils and leaning leftward slightly just so his sister wouldn't see his 'appalling' manners. Harry was eating his own share of food calmly while Alphard had been trying to talk with Yi-Liang with him being in the middle. Harry let it slide and offered to switch places with the young Black. He was gradually slipping into a state of peace until the first year's piercing voice caused him to jump and he almost dropped his fork onto the ground.

"I wouldn't know another country with the same name," Yi-Liang answered nonchalantly and helped herself to the pumpkin juice while Harry was completely thrown off by Alphard's reaction. Sitting across from Alphard, a blond male student was chuckling and looking at Yi-Liang with mild amusement. Duràndi, was he?

"Um, Alphard, what's the fuss?" said Harry still a bit miffed about Alphard's outburst.

Alphard's eyes literally flashed brightly like Yule had come early, "What's the fuss?! What's the FUSS? The Imperium of China has been one of the longest standing magical communities in the world, largest one as well. Closed shut from the rest of the world, too. You don't see wizards and witches from there so often. I heard people there keep dragons as pets!" Alphard explained with passion and several hand gestures. Well, the dragon part certainly sparked his curiosity as well. Leaving his dinner untouched, the eleven-year old seemed very fixated on hearing some interesting stories from the Asian witch, rather than getting chicken wings into his empty stomach.

"Do you have a baby dragon? I want to have one but it is illegal in Britain. There is a dragon habitat in Romania, and I'm planning on visiting that place this summer…"Alphard went on and on even though Yi-Liang kept her attention on her own half-filled plate, but Harry could spot a small curve at the right corner of her lips.

Finally, Yi-Liang finished her dinner and started talking, "Now, now, there is no need to be so loud; I can hear you just fine. Besides, you wouldn't want your siblings to scold you later, would you." Alphard promptly shut up at that. "Usually, only wealthy families can afford dragons. Because it's exhausting and expensive to have an isolated piece of land and sufficient labour to contain these dragons, the more a family keeps, the more prestigious they appear." Yi-Liang ended the conversation as she finished her last bite.

"Wow," Alphard replied in just one word, rendered speechless by the information given away. Harry could feel the bench move and squeak underneath them as the first year shook with excitement.

It was about the same time Dippet announced the end of the Feast, swiftly swinging his arms and the food vanished before their eyes.

"Since we are all well-fed now, I'd like to have the prefects lead their respective houses to their dormitories. I've said this before, but I have to emphasize this year again. Do not wander after curfew. You have a long day ahead of you. Professors won't be lenient just because it's the first day of school. Now, off you go," Dippet sternly gave the last announcement. Judging from his drooping eyes, he would probably be the first person to go straight to the bed tonight.

All of the students got up from their benches and followed the prefects, each to their dormitory.

"Bye, Harry and Yi-Liang! Let's hope my sister is not going to bore me to death with her lectures," yelped Alphard who saw the flurry of Walburga's black hair above the crowd, approaching him fast. Looking for a refuge, Alphard found one of his friends and hurriedly occupied himself to evade his sister's clutches.

Duràndi with a playful smile had decided to join Yi-Liang's side.

"I am surprized that you were zo patient with that little kid there, Yi-Liang. Normally you would just whisk out your wand and jinx people in your sight," Duràndi cut in with a smirk and turned to Harry. "Grüß Gott (1)! I'm Aurèl Duràndi from Austria in case you don't know. I'm de only heir to my filthy rich family; not that my father approves of my choice of lifestyle. If Yi-Liang here has said anything scandalous about me, half of it is probably true. Your eyes are really pretty. Harry Potter, isn't it? Can I call you Harry, yes?" The cheerful boy offered his right hand and smirked as he saw Harry turned flustered by his compliment.

Yi-Liang rolled her eyes and said, "Don't mind him, you'll get used to it soon enough. Basically, he hits on everyone the second he meets them. Nothing out of ordinary; Aurèl has a natural talent for unnerving people."

The energetic boy pouted, "I wonder if Harry will still think the same when he sees you casting curses on some poor, unfortunate souls."

"You don't say," the unwavering girl replied. The tip of her wand was barely showing out of her sleeve, but her eyes promised more than just simple jinxes if Aurèl refused to stop his little tirade.

"I…see. Well, nice to meet you, Aurèl," Harry gladly shook the offered hand as they walked down the stairs. Aurèl seemed like a fine guy; the only fault he could find in him so far was the Austrian's suicidal tendencies to provoke a certain witch when unnecessary.

The Slytherin dormitory was located in the dungeons. It wasn't exactly the first time Harry came down here, but the underground level gave him a chill down his spine.

"The castle is really a magnificent piece of art, but can't they install more torches down here? Iz really dark and I might trip over my own feet," Aurèl complained and held onto Yi-Liang's shoulder. The Durmstrang students were used to cold weather; some had even peeled off one or two layers of their clothes to enjoy the warmth.

After a few turns, they came to a stop in front of a regular stone wall. The Bloody Baron briefly glanced over the crowd and subtly nodded at Tom Riddle as some sort of acknowledgement before floating away.

_Interesting. I didn't know Bloody Baron liked anyone well enough to bother with greetings. Well, I could be wrong._

"Caduceus," the prefect stated the password with clarity. "Remember, the password will be updated every fortnight. Be sure to pay attention to the notice board. Do not let any outsider memorize the password or invite them in. Our dorm is the only place where we can truly relax, so please respect other's privacy."

"This common room iz eerie but beautiful in its way, isn't it?"

The brown haired girl with a short stature straightened her back and spoke, "First, congratulations are in order. I'm Prefect Lucinda Paddocks, sixth year. I'm delighted to welcome all of you to the House of Slytherin. If you need help, anyone with prefect badges will be here to assist you. Girl's dormitory is on the left; boy's is on the right. Your name will show up on the door of your designated room. Due to the enrollment of a higher number of students this year, some of you may have to share a room with three other people. This is a great chance to network with your future peers. The quicker you adapt to the new environment, the better off you are. I wish you all a great year ahead."

"Excellent, Ms. Paddocks!" an overweight old man announced, walking in jovially.

"I'm Professor Slughorn, the Head of Slytherin House. Please call me Professor or any equivalent respectable title. I hereby welcome all of you, including our guests from overseas, to the House of Slytherin. As some of you may know, we Slytherins have not been a popular lot since the establishment of Hogwarts," Professor Slughorn's smile faded. Many first years were puzzled by the sudden turn of his expression.

The speech was iterated again,

"They say we are evil but that's not true. Cunning and ambitious: the two traits that our founder Salazar Slytherin values always. Many great wizards and witches possess these qualities as well. Some are sorted into our house, some aren't. Nevertheless, some roguish ones step out of the boundaries, and people blame us for making them who they are.

Our time is difficult, especially now that a war is rising against those who have even a slight tint of Dark heritage. But have no fear. We must act united at front. Any dispute should be dealt with within the walls of the Common Room. I don't want to hear from other professors about your misbehaviour.

Whatever you're going to do, make sure you are discrete and subtle. I am sure all of you are resourceful lads and lasses, so I beseech you to help each other. I am available at my office any time you need help. Just knock and wait, and help shall be received. Well, don't let me spoil your first day of school. Off you go now!"

Professor Slughorn went back his cheerful self and dismissed the whole student population. Some students opted for a good night's sleep while others, like the new trio sat in the Common Room.

"So what is it like at Durmstrang?" asked Harry as soon as he settled on a leather sofa next to his eccentric friend.

Ensconced in a lounge chair, Yi-Liang said with all seriousness she could muster, "We are not supposed to tell outsiders about our school."

"Aw, come on. It won't hurt to tell 'arry a bit about us! As long as we don't tell him anything that might be re – motely related to the location of our school, no harm done! Harry, you know Durmstrang has a more '_diverse_' curriculum, ja?" Harry nodded. "Well, it is true that we do cover extensively on many… how should I put this?"

"Controversial subjects."

"Thank you Yi-Liang. Yes, very controversial. The zing is that Durmstrang is doing this to prevent any dumb wizards to mess up badly, and we have a reputation to uphold. There are many fun subjects you can choose depending on your grades. We cover some basics of Necromancy and Evocation. The sixth year students are required to animate some small animals for their final. Ah, I wish I can return next year to take Evocation. My old friend Antonio told me that someone summoned a vengeful spirit last year and ended up in bed for one week. I think I can summon a sex demon. I mean why not mix pleasure with work? "Aurèl laughed while Harry paled at his casual mention of vicious supernatural beings.

"Don't look so green, Harry. Said vengeful spirit didn't do much harm. Besides, those courses Aurèl mentioned are introductory electives for only sixth year and up. The teachers won't let you do much unless you get the hang of it, although I would prefer Magical Martial Arts or Earth Magic. The first focuses on the physical aspect of magic: wielding magical weapons or infusing your body with aura. In my opinion, it makes punching people much easier. That is, making the impact more painful and permanent than usual. Earth Magic gives me an edge in drawing Ambient Magic to replenish my core and perform certain rituals. Also it involves less unstable or sex-craving spirits coming out to get me, that's for sure," Yi-Liang clarified and kicked Aurèl's shin for extra warning.

"Eek! What's dat for?!"

"You scared him, that's what."

"It's alright. I just got carried away. I doubt anything at this point can permanently traumatize me," Harry assured Yi-Liang. _A sad, true fact when a Dark Lord is still hunting you in the future._

While massaging the sore spot on his leg, Aurèl continued talking, "I would also like to take Wards Creation. My great-grandaunt is a Ward Crafter. I have developed a liking to wards because of her. Each tiny rune connects with the other and glows like jewels. The process iz like building a spider web, but more refined. Wards guard ancient treasure in many old magical sites, such as Egyptian pyramids. There is also a co-requisite for Spell Breaking, which is mandatory for countering wards. However, I'm not particularly good at destroying wards."

The Austrian ducked his head in embarrassment. However, Harry was very enthusiastic about these subjects he had never heard of. He couldn't recall any electives being available from his time that were half as stimulating as those offered at Durmstrang.

"That's bloody awesome! I didn't know you have so many fun subjects. My best mate's brother Bill is a Curse Breaker. He said that breaking a ward is pretty hard, let alone making one. You must be really smart like my friend Hermione."

"Ha-ha, I wish my father thinks the way you do. He does not like my career choice becuz he wants me to inherit the family business. Too academic, he says," the blond-haired boy paused to contemplate on his family. Few seconds later, Yi-Liang interrupted his musing, "Aurèl Duràndi done talking? I'm shocked."

Aurèl immediately returned to reality. With a mock-worshipping gesture, he said, "My, my. Feeling ignored, my dear Yi-Liang. My apologies, I shall shower you with praises like I always do. Harry, allow me to introduce – the Dueling Champion of Durmstrang."

Puzzled by Aurèl and awed by Yi-Liang, Harry turned to her for explanation.

"Durmstrang holds an annual Duelling Contest after the final exams. As long as no permanent damage done, you can perform any magic in a duel. There is no restriction on the qualification of participants but anyone below fifth year must acquire a recommendation from the Headmaster or a professor, for formality's sake. All the contestants are mixed up together in each round because the school believes competence has nothing to do with age, so long as you put on a good show. Pureblood families come over to watch and place bets on the potential winners. The winner's family will get to boast about their children for the whole summer. However, if you ask me, failures and embarrassing deeds are more likely to be remembered forever in certain social circles."

Yi-Liang chuckled as she reminisced her glorious moments. Affected by her amusement, Aurèl snickered and gave his two knots to the story,

"Yi-Liang was one of the two students below fifth year to participate. People underestimated her because she was a foreigner, but they were _so, so_ wrong. Every curse they cast, she easily dodged; every shield they conjured, she tore it apart. Oh, you should see her dance around those clumsy dolts, Harry. Graceful! She has been practicing martial arts since she waz a kid; it is a wonder to behold. Yi-Liang's vater (2) came to watch the spectacle too. It's funny to see him being overprotective. Although she was the one sending people to krankenstation (3), he looked like he was going to faint any moment. Ouch, no need to point your wand at me."

Yi-Liang didn't fully draw her wand but she did give Aurèl a withering glare. Apparently, she was annoyed by the reminder of her overprotective father.

"My father was one of few who place bets on me, other than our friends. I told him he should put bets against me, so I can get more out of this game. His support means a lot to me, but the money…" Yi-Liang gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

Aurèl quietly spoke to Harry, "She is still sore about the proceeds from the championship. Later, we found out that thirty percent of the proceeds go to school budget, so any champion may not receive much if the odds were not high. It's a good thing not many people placed their faith in her, otherwise she'd have got less."

The duelling champion paused her thinking and cast a tempus, which indicated 10:23 pm.

"Oh, look at the time now! Let's go, Harry. I want to see what our room looks like! See you tomorrow, Yi-Liang!" said Aurèl, standing up to give Yi-Liang _a look_. The female duelist didn't say anything, but she gave a small nod and let her wayward friend drag Harry away to the boy's dormitory.

* * *

The corridor was a dark, winding maze like the rest of the dungeons; Harry was starting to miss the homey atmosphere of Gryffindor Tower. At least the fireplace and lamps were not burning with an eccentric type of green colour. They checked the first room for fifth year and found neither of them on the list. After two more rooms, Aurèl was very displeased by his placement.

"Jacenty Nosek and Ioannis Stavros are both from Durmstrang like me, but I never really talk to them. They don't appreciate my sense of humour, you see. I wonder who this Avery is. Let's hope he can make a better conversation than those two. Alas, too bad I'm not in the same room wiz you, Har. We could have had a splendid pillow fight against those arrogant bastards," said Aurèl, scrunching his nose at the offending parchment on the door.

Harry responded with a light chortle, "You wish."

"One can always hope, my friend." The playful Austrian entered into the room but not without saying, "Good night, Harry. If you want a pillow fight, you know where to find me."

And the door was shut.

Harry became very fond of his new friends. They were exact opposites in terms of personality, but both were humorous and brilliant in their own way. Making two friends in a pit of snakes definitely made a good start. Perhaps things were heading in a good direction.

As Harry arrived in front of his future room, he glanced over the names on the board.

_Abraxas Malfoy_

_Tyrell Nott_

_Harry Potter_

_Tom Riddle_

"Just my damn luck…" he scoffed to himself, letting his shoulders drop in resignation.

As Harry turned the door knob of his shared room, a platter of assorted Slytherin colours assaulted his vision. The curtains of the poster beds were made of heavy and expensive material. Silver embroidery was sewn into the green curtains. The stone walls were adorned with portraits of serpent themes. The room made him shiver as the Giant Squid swam by outside the underwater windows, temporarily casting its shadow into the room. Three other occupants were already in their night robes.

Walking to a halt, the permanent fixation of his nightmare came to greet him with a polite smile, "Potter, right? What a shame I didn't get a chance to talk to you during the Feast. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm the Prefect for fifth year – Tom Riddle."

* * *

(1) EDIT: God's greetings in German (Thanks to anon guest!)

(2) Father in German

(3) Infirmary in German

I want to give all of you who are scrolling down the screen of this chapter a big thank you! Even though I am starting school soon (that is, I may not be able to update regularly), I am not giving this story up yet. I really appreciate your company and support! Thank you very, very much.


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